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racity is "the candid good faith of sainted True Churchmen.' Your publication is "fanatical," and, in the highest degree, "dangerous and pestilent." Your admirers are " deluded enthusiasts," "who implicitly devour your poisoned morsels." You are the partizan of a " dangerous and upstart sect," who are the "assailants" of establishments, and whose object it is to revive, and propagate among us, "the Calvinism, Puritanism, and Antinomianism of the seventeenth century." Your cause is "the cause of error, of fanaticism, and of nonsense.' You and your "friends are perpetually labouring, both with tongue and pen, to overwhelm with impiety, absurdity, and nonsense, the pure and genuine doctrines of the Gospel." Your doctrines are "a disgusting compound of nonsense and blasphemy;" a theory of which “ every man of understanding, sense, and benevolence, must, of course, declare his utter abhorrence." They are wild, unscriptural, blasphemous dogmas;" as opposite to the doctrine of Scripture and of the Church of England, as light is to darkness:" they include " one of the most pernicious errors which have ever been broached in the Christian Church, and the foundation of the most abominable Antinomianism:" they are" the rankest Antinomianism, grafted on the impious tenets of Cal. vin (*)." You teach, Sir, "that those for whom Christ died must continue sinners;" and, "that when we have reason to believe a man virtuous, we must exclude him from those for whom Christ died (†)." The vileness of your "precious system of divinity" has even exceeded the "expectation" of the Anti-jacobin Reviewers.

natural powers be, indeed, less perfect than their's were."

(*) The Anti-jacobin Reviewers affirm, that the real heresy of Dr. Gleig. in our estimation, consists in his asserting the doctrine of universal redemption. Had they read our work they must have discovered that we have uniformly inculcated that very doctrine, which they charge us with considering as heretical.

(†) We objected to the expression « his

virtuous brother for whom Christ died," as an instance of unscriptural phraseology Instead of producing a passage from Scripture to disprove this criticism, which would have been a legitimate mode of reply, the Anti-jacobin Reviewers call our remark a bold and open avowal of Antinomianism.

"We formerly," they say, "hinted our suspicions of the Antinomianism of the Christian Observer; but now we see him openly and boldly avowing it: for this (the doctrine now maintained by the Christian Observer) is the ipsissima antinomorum fæx et hæresis pestilentissima. Of this doctrine the unequivocal language is, let us do evil that good may come; let us continue in sin that grace may abound.” In short, Sir, your "general princi ples" are deserving of the most unqualified reprobation;" and your "publication, if uniformly consistent, is certainly one of the most dangerous and pestilent which were ever employed to pervert or corrupt the religious and moral sentiments of a people.'

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Such, Sir, is the character of the Christian Observer, and its Editor. Such are the frightful and accumulated epithets, by which their abominations are displayed in one single article of the Anti-jacobin. The passages here given as quotation are the precise words in which this review has described them. (See Appendix to Vol. XVIII. p. 490-504.) Let not your pious readers, however, be alarmed. They know where, and to whom, it is said, "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say ALL MANNER OF EVIL against you FALSELY for my sake." Neither, Sir, let your heart be dismayed. You are, indeed, stung in every part, and to your very vitals; and the poison has been emitted most profusely. Yet, the above precious Axungia, extracted from the venomous creature itself, will not only prove a complete specific in your case, but diminish its power of doing further mischief.

But to quit metaphor. Is there a man of common sense and common integrity acquainted with the doctrines and spirit of the Christian Observer, who will not pronounce, that the writers who describe it in the above language, will absolutely say any thing? In what class of society would any persons be ranked, who, in differences in matters of common life, should thus exhaust language in expressions of malevolence, assail of such accumulated falsehoods, and their antagonists through the medium disembogue such a torrent of unqualified and unmerited abuse? And is this behaviour to be endured from men, who occupy the chair of criti

cism, and have assumed the dignified character of guardians of our taste, and our morals? What reader of the Anti-jacobin must not suppose, that the title of Christian Observer is a name artfully and wickedly prefixed to a work, for the purpose of more effectually undermining our holy religion; that its Conductors are Abettors of the French Regicides; Disciples of the infamous Paine; Converts of the absurd and blasphemous Godwin; or, at any rate, that they have arrived at the half way-house of infidelity with Belsham and Geddes? Or, should he conceive the pestilence of their principles to be of the opposite kind, less could not be supposed, because this is explicitly and repeated ly affirmed, than that they have adopted the extravagant notions of some visionary sectaries, which are incompatible with all order and decorum, and peculiarly inimical to our ecclesiastical establishment? In the worst of these cases, our critics could only say, that their dogmas are "most abominable," and "blasphemous;" represent their "general principles as deserving of the most unqualified reprobation," and their work as certainly one of the most dangerous and pestilent, which were ever employed to pervert or corrupt the religious and moral sentiments of a people." How then must such a reader be astonished when he finds, that the uniform and notorious object of the work thus reprobated, is the promotion of the most pure and undefiled religion and morality; and the promotion of them, in the precise order, and by the very means, appointed by our superiors? How must he stand amazed, on learning, that the Editors of this publication are zealous supporters of our civil and religious establishments: that their theology, both in respect to Doctrine and Ecclesiastical Govern ment, is exactly that of the national confession: and that the only real difference between these writers and some other loyal subjects and learned ministers of the Church of England is, that, on some points of faith, the former adhere more closely than the latter to the plain and literal meaning of the established Creed; and, in consequence, inculcate a more strict system of religion and morals?. Yet, that this is its genuine character, I may refer the competent and impartial judge, to every number, to every CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 36.

page, to every paragraph of it, for proof; while I challenge even malevolence itself fairly to prove the con trary. How unequivocal then is the character of the Anti-jacobin Review. ers, who have described this work in the language which has been quoted? And is there a cause so deplorable as to need such. advocates, and the support of such means? Is there a Christian, is there a Gentleman, who can countenance such outrageous calumny? Is it possible that in Great Britain, in the nineteenth century, such writers should be endured?

But what has the Christian Observer done? In your Review of Dr. Gleig's Sermons, after commending all that charity itself could select as commendable, you said, "the author is a strenuous opposer of two fundamental doctrines of the Gospel and the Church of England-original or birth-sin, and justification by faith only." You added, that by the "excesses of their panegyric" on these sermons, the Anti-jacobin Reviewers afforded new evidence of the heterodoxy, of their own religious sentiments, and fresh instances of their inconsistency; and you mentioned, as one of these instances, their having applauded the diametrically opposite doctrine of Mr. Cooper on Justification. These propositions were severally supported by quotations which left them plainly incontrovertible by any honest means. (See the Christian Observer for August, 1803.) That which respects ori ginal sin is so notoriously true, that our Reviewers' "faithful ally," the British Critic, is constrained, in a great measure, to admit it, as sufficiently appears in your number for April last*. The contrariety of Mr.

*The British Critic charges Dr. Gleig with apparently denying the doctrine of original corruption, and adds, that it is not very easy to see how some of Dr. Gleig's positions can be reconciled with the ninth and some other articles of our Church. Now it is for avowing precisely the same opinion with the British Critic, that we are stig matized as ignorant, and as guilty of gross misrepresentation and gross falsehood. But Critic, who shews an evident disposition is it not probable, when even the British

to censure Dr. Gleig no farther than is required by a regard to his own credit, sees reason to accuse him of deviating from the ninth article, that we did not misrepresent Dr. Gleig when we affirmed, that his sermons directly oppose the doctrine of the

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Cooper's sentiments to those of Dr.
Gleig, and, consequently, the incon-
sistency of our critic, has been fur-
ther most conspicuously illustrated, in
a volume of excellent sermons, which
you have also reviewed. (May, 1804.)
These positions, however, the critic
still vehemently denies, and labours to
overturn. But his reasoning and his
railing are equally at random. Let
your readers examine again such pas-
sages as the following: "Shall we,
then," says Dr. Gleig, "impute the
wickedness of man to the depravity
of his nature? No."-" We derive
nothing," he adds, "from our first
parents, more than the oak derives
from the acorn, but by the will of
God holy and good."—" Adam," (re-
plies Mr. Cooper) "begat a son in
his own likeness, after his image, in
that state of radical and total depra-
vity to which he was himself reduced
by his fall."-"It is of no consequence
whatever," (adds Dr. Gleig), "whe
ther we be more or less perfect than
Adam was * "To what other
cause," (answers Mr. Cooper), "but
to inadequate conceptions of the nature
and extent of human corruption, is it
owing, that so many partial and de-
fective sentiments prevail respecting
the meaning of conversion, &c.?"
"Though faith in Christ," (proceeds
Dr. Gleig,) "be absolutely necessary
to the justification of a Christian, it
will not ALONE justify him."-"The
justification of a sinner," (Mr. Cooper
affirms), "has no connection with his

Church on the subject of original sin? The
Anti-jacobin Reviewers, however, are of
opinion, an opinion which they say has
been deliberately formed, that the sermons
of Dr. Gleig are "most masterly, sound,
and orthodox compositions."

The Anti-jacobin Reviewers quote this passage to prove, that Dr. Gleig did not mean to oppose the doctrine of original sin: and they add, in his own words, that "it is not easy to conceive a question of less importance," and that it is one "which he has no occasion whatever to discuss." But surely it is no light matter to have thus attempted to reduce to insignificance, a primary and fundamental tenet of Christianity. If this point be of no importance, why is it expressly made the subject of an article; or why is the right knowledge of it so strongly enforced in the Homilies? (See Christian Observer, p. 500, 501.) Here we have another in stance of the boasted attachment of these reviewers to the doctrines of the Church of England!

own personal obedience, either to the moral or the ceremonial law. In the act of his justification, his own performances are not taken into the account."-" The very notion of grace necessarily excludes all intermixture of works."-"The gift of righteousness is freely offered to all. Faith is the hand which receives, applies, and appropriates the gift." This language of Mr. Cooper, it is obvious, is not only at variance with that of Dr. Gleig, but contains the specific and precise doctrine of those against whom our critics have expressed the highest indignation. Let the friends of truth, however, re-examine and compare the whole of your quotations from these two writers: or, that they may guard against the possibility of deception and mistake, let them compare the whole volume of Mr. Cooper's Sermons with that of Dr. Gleig, and then let them decide on the truth and propriety of such language as the following: "What opinion," say the Anti-jacobin Reviewers, "must our readers form of the honesty of the Christian Observer, when we inform them that, on the subject of justification by faith, there is not between Dr. Gleig and Mr. Cooper even the shadow of a difference? And after some quotations from Mr. Cooper, they say, "From these passages it appears, that of justification by faith alone, as uniformly taught by the Christian Observer, and the sect of True Churchmen, Mr. Cooper is no less a strenuous opposer than Dr. Gleig or ourselves."

"On the subject of justification by faith, Mr. Cooper's notions are precisely the same with those of Bishop Bull, with those of Dr. Hey, with those of Dr. Gleig, with those of the Anti-jacobin Reviewers, &c. t. These assertions will abundantly confirm the doctrine of this letter, and

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It is scarcely needful to remark how little qualified those must be to guide the judgment of others, who, whether from perverseness of intellect, or obliquity of principle, can discover uniformity where direct contrariety exists. We wish that Mr. Cooper could himself be heard on this occasion; although after what we have just witnessed, we might expect to find the Anti-jacobin Reviewers maintaining that Mr. Cooper's denial of an agreement in sentiment with Dr. Gleig and themselves, was intended to be understood # an affirmation of it.

1801.] Strictures on the Anti-jacobin's Review of the Christian Observer.

will not, perhaps, find their parallel in the annals of criticism or of theological controversy *. Confident *We subjoin a few brief remarks on some points contained in the Anti-jacobin's review of our work, which have not yet been noticed.

Notwithstanding the ingenious defence which has been attempted by these Reviewers, we are still of opinion, that the proposition of Dr. Gleig, that there may be men who live negatively innocent and without positiv guilt, has no support either from Scripture or experience; and that the purpose of that gentleman in quoting the text, "God made man upright," was to oppose the doctrine of original sin.

The Reviewers have taken great pains to prove that God is the last object to which christian benevolence extends. They have not succeeded, however, in convincing as, that love to God is not the source, nay the only source of true bene volence, and, indeed, of all acceptable obedience.

On the doctrine of justification by faith, the Homilies are sufficiently explicit, and do not seem to us to require the aid of Bishop Bull's comment to render them in telligible. We agree with the Anti-jacobin Reviewers that when it is said, justified by faith only," our reformers "we are meant that we are justified freely without works." But when they add, that, "by this latter expression, our reformers did not understand that good works are no condition of our justification, but only that they are not to be accounted the meritorious cause of it," we think they fail into an absurdity. If works are excluded merely because they are not the meritorious cause of justification, faith ought to have been excluded on the same principle; for that grace is as little the meritorious cause of justification as works are. Neither faith nor works, but the sacrifice and mediation of Christ, are the meritorious causes of justification. The passage which the Anti-jacobin Reviewers have quoted from the Homilies, affords a lucid and scriptural explanation of the doctrine, "that we be justified by faith only:" but it affords also satisfactory evidence that "justification by faith only" is the doctrine of the Church.

One remark more, and we have done. "Many a man," says Dr. Gleig, "who in his heart reveres, perhaps as he ought to do, the God of his fathers, and hopes for salvation only through the Cross of Christ, can yet smile at the jest of the impious scoffer, and suffer, at his own table, his Creator and Redeemer to be mentioned in t rms, which, if applied to himself or his friend, he would resent with indig

767

that the enmity of writers of this description will advance your reputation among all persons whose good owith great esteem, your's sincerely, pinion is desirable, I remain, Sir,

ANTI-CALUMNY.

nation." We quoted these words at full
length in our review of Dr. Gleig's Ser-
mons; and then asked whether the Doctor
really thinks that such a man reveres, and
his fathers? This question appears to
even perhaps as he ought to do, the God of
have excited the displeasure of the Anti-
jacobin Reviewers. We have omitted, say
they, "the emphatic words in his heart,"
which, they allege, for what reasons we
ment less objectionable: a fresh proof, ac-
know not, would have rendered the senti
cording to them, of the candour of Calvi-
nistic Methodists. Not to detain our read-
will of themselves see not to be very
ers with noticing this remark, which they
important, (or where can a man be sup-
posed to revere God if not in his heart?)
a man, who really reveres God in his hearts
we would ask, whether it be credible that
could act as Dr. Gleig supposes bin to do?
It is impossible, and every real Christian
will at once feel it to be so.
deed, be very convenient for some indivi
It may, in-
ly wish that neither Dr. Gleig nor the Anti.
duals to persuade themselves, (we sincere.
jacobin Reviewers may be of the num
ber), that a man, "who can smile at the
jest of the impions scoffer," and endure
profaneness even at his own table, nay,
who can himself use, with indecent levi
ty, the sacred names of God and of Christ,
ought to do, the God of his fathers, and
may yet in his heart revere, perhaps as he
hope for salvation only through the Cross
of Christ. But let such persons know,
that they do but deceive themselves.
Whatever be their reputation as Christians,
however flaming their zeal for the Church,
whatever be their pretensions to piety,
they are destitute of the very first begin-
nings of a religious life.

pendix to the Anti-jacobin Review, which
We add two extracts from the same Ap-
has been quoted above. The reader will
make his own use of them.

"When a writer condemns in one per-
son what he approves in another, we with
ments, are the objects of his indignation."
reason conclude, that persons, not senti.
p. 450.

which the presumptuous ignorance, the -the Edinburgh Review; a work of petulant tastelessness, the incredible blunders, the lumpish dullness, would not, even for the sake of its virulent slander, be endured in any other country in Europe, but Great Britain." p. 484.

LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL INTELLIGENCE,

&c. &c.

GREAT BRITAIN.

PREPARING for the press, a new Edition of BLOMEFIELD's History of Norfolk, with a Continuation to the present Time, to be printed in 4to. and 8vo.-A new Edition of PULTENEY'S general View of the Writings of LINNEUS, with Memoirs of Dr. P. by Dr. MATON. A Natural and Civil HistoTy of the County of York, &c. &c., in 2 vols. royal 4to., with Plates, by Mr. C. FOTHERGILL.-Biographical Sketches of the Norfolk Literati, from the Time of Queen Elizabeth to the present Period, from the MS. of the late Rev. Mr. POTTER.

In the press, The New Testament, with plain and practical Instructions, extracted, and carefully digested, from the large and valuable work of an ancient, pious, and venerable Expositor, (Burkitt); by the Rev. SAMUEL GLASSE, D. D. F. R. S. Rector of Wanstead in Essex, and ChapJain in Ordinary to his Majesty: to be published with all convenient Speed, in 2 vols. 4to.; and also, for the purpose of more general Circulation, in Numbers of One Shilling each, to be distributed every Monday, after Jan. 1, 1805, inclusive, or on the first Monday in every Month, if more desirable.-A new Edition, with considerable additions and elegant Engravings, of PERCIVAL'S Account of the Island of Ceylon, in 4to. £1. 11s. d. boards. A Voyage to Brazil, by THOMAS LINDLEY, in 8vo.-The Life and Character of Bonaparte, by W. BURDON, M. A. in 8vo- On one large sheet, Cometatus Anglorum, being a brief Synopsis of Statistical and PoJitical Arithmetic; shewing, at one View, the Magnitudes, Produce, Population, Towns, &c. of the English Counties, and the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction; together with the Extent in Acres and Population of the Scots Counties, and the Arrangement and Patronage of the Church of Scotland, &c. &c., by Mr. FORDYCE, of Handsworth, near Birmingham.--The Second Volume of Dr. VINCENT'S Work on the Periplus of Arrian.--The First Part of the General Survey of England, containing Bedfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire, by Messrs. LYSONS.-The First Part of Mr. PYNE's Costume of England. -A History of the Abbey-gate at Bury St. Edmunds, by the Rev. Mr. YATES.-A History of Doncaster and its neighbouring Towns, with Anecdotes of eminent Men, by Dr. MILLER-Practical Observations on Insanity, with Remarks on Medical Jurisprudence as connected with diseased Intel

lect, by J. M. Cox, M. D. of Fishponds, near Bristol,

Mr. Reeves has printed a PSALTER in Hebrew, with Illustrations in English, similar to those printed in his Prayer Book. He purposes also to publish a Collection of all the Lessons of our Church Service which are taken from the Hebrew Bible, in that language; to be called Lectionarium Ecclesie Anglicano Hebraicum.

Mr. DELAFONS, who, during forty-fire years of a life employed in the British Naval Service, in the course of which he frequent y discharged the functions of Deputy Judge Advocate to the Fleet, bas been engaged in collecting and arranging materials for a TREATISE on NAVAL COURTS MARTIAL, which will make its appearance in the Month of January next, in one volume 8vo. This Treatise does not exhibit a mere recapitulation of forms and precedents, but, after enquiring into the origin of Naval Judicial Institutions, aspires to explain the principles on which they are founded, the Laws and Regulations by which they are governed, and to point out those defects yet to be remedied in a system possessing much inherent excellence.

An Edition of JORTIN'S Remarks on Eeclesiastical History, in 3 vols. 8vo. has just appeared; but the edition of his Complete Works, announced some time since, is proceeding at the press. This edition is printed from the Author's own Copies of his Works, and Manuscript Papers communicated to the Editor by his Descendants. The first portion, containing the Discourses on the Christian Religion, and the Remarks on Ecclesiastical History, will be published early in January. These two orks will form 3 vols.; and are now first united, in conformity to Dr. Jortin's own idea, who considered the Remarks as a Continuation of the Discourses, as may be seen by reference to the first paragraph of the Remarks. The Life of Erasmus, and other Works, will follow in succession; and will be sold separately, for the accommodation of purchasers.

A new Periodical Work will commence with the new year, to be published quarterly, in Numbers, price 2s. 6d. each, entitled the Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal, exhibiting a concise View of the latest and most important Discoveries in Medicine, Surgery, and Pharmacy. By a Society of Gentlemen in London and Edinburgh,

Upwards of 500 MS. Rolls of Pepiri were

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